Love is a Ghost
by Harryfan626
Summary: "It was then that she noticed. He was no longer Captain Hook. As he crossed the border from Storybrooke to the land without magic something changed. Walking away from her was a man with two hands and a whole heart. He was leaving behind a woman who loved him, who he could not even remember." Based off of Christina Perri's the Words music video UN-UPDATED (sorry)
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. They belong to ABC, Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz.**

It was supposed to be just a casual border patrol. There had been an anonymous tip placed at the sheriff station that there had be suspicious activity by the town border. Sheriff Emma Swan assumed it would be a simple survey. More often than not, similar calls were placed by bored thirteen year old boys in town who wanted a laugh. In other towns a call suggesting that they had seen a strange figure lurking by the town sign would be ignored but in Storybrooke, Maine, a town where the unusual is more common than the usual and where crossing the townline means never coming back. The reason, of course, behind the strange happenings of Storybrooke is that its population is made up entirely of real life fairytale characters. The town's mayor is none other than Snow White, the sheriff's department deputies are Prince Charming and the notorious Captain Hook. Because of these circumstances the sheriff's department had to take every tip regarding the town line seriously.

But even in such a strange town, when someone should have returned after ten minutes and they have been gone for nearly an hour, something is amiss. Having received no call from Emma, her two deputies, David Nolan and Killian Jones agreed, they were going to go find her. As Emma had taken the police cruiser, the two of them climbed in David's rusted pick up truck and took to the road. As they neared the spot where Emma should be neither of them saw anything that would hint to her whereabouts. David and Killian found a sign of Emma just as the truck sped around the final curve before the town limit. Crumbled against a tree mere feet from the "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign was the cruiser. Charming slammed the breaks and the truck came to a screeching stop. Crying out Emma's name, Killian lunged from the car and started sprinting towards the crash. The two deputies charged to the car but halfway to the vehicle it was as if they ran straight into a wall. Glowing purple energy rippled out in all directions from the point they ran into. There was a force field separating them and the potentially injured Emma.

Charming looked at Killian, alarm in his eyes, "Magic."

"Oh really," Killian said, "I thought it was just a normal occurrence to meet a solid invisible surface," his tone then changed from sarcasm to worry and he called out "Swan! Emma!"

As the desperation in his cries grew an ominous laugh filled the air. Killian again threw himself against the magical force field his overwhelming fear for Emma's well being had erased his common sense. Compared to Killian's panic, David sprung into action. He unsheathed his sword and swung it out in front of him immediately on alert. The cackling grew louder. Then, beyond the force field a cloud of purple magic burst from the thin air. It dissipated like fog to reveal Mr. Gold, again donning his Rumpelstiltskin clothing. Beside him was Emma. She was struggling against the hand that was clutching her throat. Emma's face was pale and she perilously pulled at her captor's claw to no avail.

"Crocodile," he hissed.

Seeing a hand wrapped around her neck felt like the same thing was clutching his heart. He did know from experience what it felt like to have that exact claw squeezing his heart. He began sprinting towards her. He had to do whatever he could to free her. She couldn't die. Not now. Not like this. Her captor held up a finger that just dared him to make another move.

Gold chuckled darkly, "Now, now, dearie. We wouldn't want something to cause me to tighten my grip, now, would we?"

Killian barely heard Rumpelstiltskin's taunting. His mind was whirling with thousands of different scenarios. He pictured Emma dead. He pictured them reunited. He pictured her crumbling to the ground as dust slipped through the Crocodile's fingers. Killian then decided, that it was, in fact, more painful for Killian to see Emma's neck pinched tightly enough to stop her breathing than to have his own heart being crushed.

Sword drawn high, David yelled, "Let her go, Gold."

In response he flicked a wrist and sent David's sword to fly from his hand and lodge itself in a tree. Gold shook his head and tssked. Lifting his hand he pushed the forcefield back and trapped David against the side of his truck. Standing in the middle of the road was now a furious Killian staring down his worst enemy as he held the first woman he loved in centuries.

"Now that it's just the two of us, let's have a little chat, shall we?" Rumpelstiltskin said as he surveyed Killian.

Clenching and unclenching his jaw, Killian said, "Let her go or so help me you will never see the light of day again."

"Threaten all you wish, dearie, but it seems I," he tightened his grip on Emma caused her to gasp for air, "have the upper hand. And our dear sheriff can go free. On condition of course. If you cross the town line-"

Killian cut him off with a biting, "Never!"

"If you cross the town line, Miss Swan will be free to return to her parents and her son. Not a hair on her head will be harmed."

"Not just Emma. None of them will be harmed. Not a single person I care for." Killian conceded.

Gold snarled, "You are the reason my wife has deserted me and you deserve nothing more than what I have offered."

"You are your own downfall."

"Is it a deal, Captain?" Gold replied, ignoring Killian's retort.

"She won't be hurt?" Killian asked again, uncertainty in his eyes. Gold nodded. Sighing Killian turned to look at the town line. He tuned out the silent pleadings of Emma and Charming struggling against their captors. "I'm sorry," he said as he looked into her eyes. With a final breath Killian stepped over the border of the town. The magic from the barrier surrounded him. For an instant Killian seemed to glow in the white energy that encased him. Then he tumbled through to the other side, looking lost and confused. As soon as he was on the other side of the town line, Rumplestiltskin released both Emma and Charming. In a rage of fury Emma spun around to retaliate but in an instant and another puff of purple smoke, he was gone. She then turned to the town line, ignoring her father as he hurried towards her.

"Hook!" She called, "Killian!" Slowly Emma walked to the border. She watched him, the man she thought she loved, as he started walking down the highway in the other direction. It was then that she noticed. He was no longer Captain Hook. As he crossed the border from Storybrooke to the land without magic something changed. Walking away from her was a man with two hands and a whole heart. He was leaving behind a woman who loved him, who he could not even remember.

Wrapped in the arms of her father, Emma crumbled to the ground, crying. The rest of the world seemed to fade from view, all that was left was her broken heart.

**A/N: After seeing Christina Perri's **_**the Words**_** video I've been really interested in as many Captain Swan AUs that include that song as possible. So this is a little thing I started. I know how I want the plot to go so I expect this to be three to five chapters, with a possible conclusion. If you like this please read and review. As there is the huge storm hitting the east coast I have no school tomorrow I hope to have another chapter done by tomorrow evening.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. They belong to ABC, Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz.**

_one year later_

Morning was always the hardest for Killian.

A year ago he had been rushed to the nearest hospital after he was found confused, walking down the middle of Route 1 in Maine. Despite being cleared by the doctors, he had no memory of his life and no physically reason to have this issue. Feeling lost, Killian left the small town of He had left the small town hospital he had been staying in. Using the credit card he found on him, he bought an old truck and drove south to Portland. Not knowing any skills he had, Killian settled for the first work he could find, a job growing and tending flowers. The first person he met in the city, a sweet old woman named Gertrude, offered him her old house, as she now lived in the apartment over her shop. He felt guilty to accept, but as Killian had no other options, he moved into her house, which was close enough for city commuting but far past the edges of the suburbs. Unwilling to accept too much charity, Killian made a deal with Gertrude that her flower shop would be supplied with fresh orchids for free every week. She accepted and soon his business was moving. He grew assorted types of flowers and delivered them to flower stores around the city. His most popular selling flower were the orchids, however for a reason he did not know, Killian's favorite flower were the buttercups. Still, he went on with his work. For a year he was successful, not necessarily happy, but he was comfortable.

Morning was always the hardest for Killian.

For weeks after his "incident" he was constantly checking the cell phone he had in his pocket, hoping to get a desperate call from a friend or loved one. His phone never rang. One night, drunk and alone, he chucked his phone across his room and watched it shatter. Only afterwards, when he was holding its broken pieces in his hand did he realize he could have tried calling one of the saved contacts. Because of his heavy feeling of isolation, Killian had no friends aside from Gertrude. He poured himself into his work, tending to the flowers which covered every corner of his house. Killian was happy when he cared for the flowers. He loved the delicate touches he needed to bring the seeds to life. He loved the way people's eyes lit up when they were presented with a buttercup, orchid, or rose he grew. Most importantly he loved the beauty that he helped create.

Despite this, morning was always the hardest for Killian. He would wake up with the same hopeless isolation he had felt wandering Route 1. His bed would feel empty and cold as if there had been somebody there who was planning on returning but never came back. Killian's heart would ache missing a ghost he could not remember. And, for some unknown reason, there would always be a painful stinging sensation around his left wrist. Some mornings, he seemed to forget his left hand existed at all. In the mornings every time he blinked Killian would see flashes of green eyes and blonde hair. Out of the corner of his eye he would see a woman laughing. He'd often feel as if her eyes were boring into his head. He'd make sarcastic quips to himself, in hopes to entertain his unknown spirit. The presence he felt seemed to fill the silence he felt inside. She, it, the spirit, whatever the presence was comforted him. She was like a friend. But as he would drive south from his and into the city he would feel it drift further from him until he was alone.

Morning was always the hardest for Killian.


End file.
